I just bought an Outback and a Sport (05) with the sportmens package. To my surprise there was no tackel box, just an upgrade cooler which is ugly and doesn fit in the space provided. My dealer called and placed an order and he was surprised that it came that way. He was then told Hobie doesn't provide it anymore. I have two ugly coolers no tackel box ( the sport doesn't need it). Hobie and the dealers should get together on this. It is sure a poor way to ruin a good design.

Which models of the Outback / Sport did you get? The Hank Parker edition or the standard model? Whether you purchased a HP Fish model kayak or purchased the spt. pkg. separately with your standard kayak will make a difference in the Spt. Pkg. you receive and what is included within the pkg. The standard spt. pkg. you purchase as an accessory does not come with a tackle box and the cooler is available in an olive color or a blue color. Speaking of the cooler, the space provided for the cooler was not made specifically for a cooler but the cooler provided will fit into the space. The space provided where you put the cooler is a storage space for any number of things such as milk crates, the plug in kart, a tool box, etc.

I got 05 outback that looks like an 04. I also got an 05 sport.
Houston Boat showed was an 04 with an Sport Pkg with cooler, tackle box, achor, and wheels. The sport has the pole holder in it.
I agree about the space in the back, but for looks, a round cooler in an rectangle area just looks strange. Pisture on the Hobie site has a cooler that looks like it fits.
Sport is a Red Hibiscus and the outback is Golden Papaya.
You added a new person Hank Parker/Standard who knows.
I just hated to pay $100 extra for an upgraded cooler, that doesn't look right and no tackle box.

I have an 04 Outback that I got in early 2004. At that time, the Sportsman's pack had dropped the hard-sided Coleman cooler that fit in the well just behind the seat (and the one you see in the advertising pics of the Outback) in favor of a soft-sided Hobie cooler bag. However, the pack did come with a Plano two-sided tackle box, anchor kit, and wheel kit. The Sportsman's Pack comes into the dealer as a separate box with everything in it. However, the dealer can open the box and mix or match if he or a customer wishes. My dealer offered to swap me the 2003 hard-sided cooler for the 2004 soft-sided cooler if I wished, but I just took the 2004 kit as is. Sounds like the dealer may have given you a non-standard round cooler if it doesn't fit in the tank well behind the seat very well. If the dealer is not too far away, I would go back to the dealer with your original cooler and say that you may have gotten the wrong cooler with your boat, and, if so, could you swap for one that fit better? Or at least give them a call to see what they say. Good luck.
Dick

My Hank Parker edition came with the two sided plano tacklebox (which is also available for about $10 from Walmart) and a soft sided cooler. Unfornutaely the coller storage area takes on a little water so I have opted to use a hard sided cooler for now.